Railway-crossing.



W. H. MEYERLAMBERS.

RAILWAY GROSSIIVG.v

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUNE 10,1908.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

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RAILWAY-CROSSING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 10, 1908.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Serial No. 437,769.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, i VILLIAM H. MEYERLAM- BERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Navasota, in the county of Grimes and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway crossings, its object being to provide a construction and arrangement of track rails and switch rails whereby either track may be made continuous over the crossing, and whereby the dangers incident to the ordinary crossings in which breaks or gaps are present which must be jumped by the wheels of the rolling stock are avoided.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a crossing structure of this character in which the switch rails may be operated from the interlocking station with the same power that controls the interlocking system.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing showing in plan view a crossing embodying my invention with the rails of one of the tracks connected by the switch rails.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the letters A, A, A and A designate the main rails of one of the tracks, and B, B, B and B the main rails of the other track. Between the main rails of these respective tracks are arranged the crossing or junction rails A A for the first named set of tracks and the junction rails B and B for the second named set of tracks. In the structural organization disclosed, the rails A and B and A and B converge or connect at their inner ends, while the other rails of the two tracks are spaced apart. Pivoted switch rails are employed for connecting the main rails of the tracks, so that either track may be made continuous over the crossing. As shown, a switch rail C is pivotally mounted for swinging movement in reverse directions to connect the rail B with the rail 13 or the rail A with the rail A while a corresponding switch rail C is arranged for reverse movements to connect the rail A with the rail A or the rail 13 with the rail B These switch rails are the outer switch rails of the crossing structure and are disposed, as will be apparent, to connect the rails of the two tracks which converge or I come together with the adjacent ends of the crossing or junction rails.

A switch rail C is disposed in the space between the adjoining ends of the track rails A, A*, B and B and is intermediately pivoted for swinging movements in reverse directions to connect the rails A and A or B and B A similar switch rail C is disposed between the adjoining ends of the rails A" and A and B and B and is intermediately pivoted for swinging movement in reverse directions to connect the rails A and A or B and 13". For convenience of description, the switch rails C and C are hereinafter termed inner switch rails, and the rail C is connected for movement in unison with the rail C by interconnecting rods or links D, said links being pivotally coupled to the respective rails on opposite sides of their pivots for an obvious purpose.

Pivotally connected at one end with the switch rail C is a connecting rod D which is slidably mounted in the rail B and connected at its opposite end with one of the arms of a bell crank lever E, and in a similar manner a rod D is connected at one end to the switch rail C and slidably mounted in the rail A and connected at its opposite end with one of the arms of a bell crank lever E. The inner switch rail C is connected with the opposite ends of a lever E by a pair of rods or links D which are attached at their respective ends to the switch rail and lever on opposite sides of the pivotal connections of the latter. The lever E is T-shaped, being provided with a central outwardly extending arm E, which is pivotally connected with an operating rod F, to which the other arms of the bell crank lel vers E and E are also pivotally attached.

point adjacent the crossing and is longitudinally movable in opposite directions to adjust the levers correspondingly so that the switches may be thrown in one direction to connect the rails of one crank or in the reverse direction to connect the rails of the other crank. In practice, rod F may be operated from an interlocking switch station by the same power controlling the interlocking system, thus enabling a crossing of the type embodying my invention to be employed without additional expense.

If desired, each switch rail may be pivotally mounted for movement upon a supporting plate D suitably secured to the underly- This rod F is disposed at any convenient ing tie. Each of these plates is also adapted to serve the function of a coupling brace, be ing provided with clips 9 to receive the ends of the adjacent stationary rails and to engage over upon the base flanges thereof to strengthen the rails against the stress to which they are subjected and brace them against movement, thus always maintaining them in fixed alinement.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the main rails of either track may be quickly connected by the switches through the operation in one direction or the other of the switch adjusting mechanism, and that when the rails of a track are so connected the track will be made continuous or without breaks or gaps over which the wheels of the rolling stock must pass, as in crossings of ordinary construction. My construction of crossing therefore eliminates the dangers incident to the use of the ordinary crossing, in which the hammering of the wheels upon the ends of the rails at opposite sides of the gaps is liable to dama e the track or wheels, and often cause wrec ZS. By operating the switch mechanism from the adjoining interlocking station, safety in the control of the crossing will be insured.

Havin thus fully described the invention, what is c aimed as new is 1. A railway crossing comprising main rails for the respective tracks, junction rails for the respective tracks, outer switch rails pivotally mounted at their outer ends, inner switch rails pivotally mounted between their ends, said inner and outer switch rails being arranged for movements in reverse directions to connect the main and junction rails of either track, and means for simultaneously operating said switch rails.

27 A railway crossing com rising main rails for the respectlve tracks, unction rails for the respectlve tracks, outer switch rails pivotally mounted at their outer ends, inner switch rails pivotally mounted between their inner ends, said inner and outer switch rails being arranged for movements in reverse directions to connect the main and junction rails of either track, a main operating device movable longitudinally at an angle to the tracks, operating connections between said main operating device and the outer switch rails, operating connections between said main operating device and one of the inner switch rails, and operating connections between said inner switch rail and the other inner switch rail.

3. A railway crossing comprising main rails for the respective tracks, junction rails for the respective tracks, outer switch rails pivotally mounted at their outer ends, inner switch rails pivotally mounted between their ends, said inner and outer switch rails being arranged for movements in reverse directions to connect the main and junction rails of either track, a longitudinally movable operating rod, bell crank levers operated by said rod, rods connecting said levers with the outer switch rails, an intermediate lever operated by the rod, links connecting said lever with one of the inner switch rails, and links c connecting said inner switch rail with the other inner switch rail.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. MEYERLAMBERS.

Witnesses:

E. M. PERRY, L. S. PIERCE. 

